Marwan Kassab-Bachi – The Doll

Signed at the upper center in red pigment with a stylized, calligraphic flourish.

In this work, Marwan explores one of his most potent and haunting motifs—the image of the doll or marionette. Rather than a living person, the viewer is presented with a figure of simplified, almost mechanical features. In the artist’s body of work, this symbol represents alienation, the fragility of human existence, and a loss of agency often associated with the experience of exile and political upheaval.

The figure is rendered in a restless, expressive manner: vibrant patches of crimson and ochre on the face contrast sharply with a pale, atmospheric background. The loose, gestural brushwork creates an effect where the form appears to be “dissolving,” transforming the doll into an emotional landscape. The artist’s signature, placed prominently at the top center in bold red oil paint, becomes an integral part of the composition, asserting his presence within this intimate and melancholic space.

Private collection, Germany.

Good vintage condition; the paint surface is rich and tactile with expressive impasto; original canvas on its wooden stretcher; minor age-appropriate surface wear.

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